Destemming devices and methods

ABSTRACT

A destemming device includes a housing, a motor, and a belt system configured to fit within the housing. The housing includes at least one cutting aperture. The belt system includes a first belt assembly and a second belt assembly. The first belt assembly includes a first plurality of rollers and a first gripper belt extending around the first plurality of rollers. The second belt assembly includes a second plurality of rollers and a second gripper belt extending around the second plurality of rollers. The first gripper belt and the second gripper belt define a nip. The at least one cutting aperture is aligned with the nip. The motor is operatively connected to the belt system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 62/945,441, filed Dec. 9, 2019, which is incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for destemmingplants. A destemming device, also known as a bucker, a bucking machine,a destemmer, a debudder, etc., is a harvesting machine that separatesbuds, leaves, flowers, etc. from stems. The use of a destemming devicecan significantly increase the efficiency of a harvesting operation byeliminating the need for destemming to be performed manually (e.g., witha knife or scissors).

However, significant manual labor is still required to prepare plantsfor destemming with known destemming devices since the bulk plantmaterial must still be broken down into small enough pieces to fit intodies/cutting apertures at the front of the machine. Additionally,relatively long (e.g., 5 inches) stem sections are required tofacilitate proper gripping of the stem within such devices.

Existing machines have two large, fixed rollers which are misaligned insome cases to provide gaps to grab the plant. Among other things, thefixed distance causes the stem to want to move to a large gap in therollers and improper gripping may result, especially when the stem isinserted into an inappropriately sized cutting aperture.

It would be desirable to develop new destemming devices and methodswhich address the aforementioned deficiencies of known buckers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Disclosed herein are destemming devices and methods.

In this regard, disclosed in various embodiments are destemming devicesincluding a housing comprising at least one cutting aperture; a motor;and a belt system configured to fit within the housing. The belt systemincludes a first belt assembly and a second belt assembly. The firstbelt assembly includes a first plurality of rollers; and a first gripperbelt extending around the first plurality of rollers. The second beltassembly includes a second plurality of rollers; and a second gripperbelt extending around the second plurality of rollers. The first gripperbelt and the second gripper belt define a nip. The at least one cuttingaperture is aligned with the nip. The motor is operatively connected tothe belt system.

In some embodiments, the first belt assembly is an upper belt assemblyand the second belt assembly is a lower belt assembly located verticallybelow the upper belt assembly.

The motor may be operatively connected to the belt system via a powertransmission belt extending around a drive pulley associated with themotor and a driven pulley associated with at least one roller of thefirst plurality of rollers and/or the second plurality of rollers.Alternatively, a gear train may be utilized.

In some embodiments, the destemming device further includes a chaindrive operatively connecting a first sprocket associated with at leastone first roller of the first plurality of rollers and a second sprocketassociated with at least one second roller of the second plurality ofrollers.

The destemming device may further include a control unit electricallyconnected to the motor.

In some embodiments, the destemming device further includes a userinterface associated with the control unit. The user interface mayinclude an on/off switch; an emergency stop button; and a dial forcontrolling belt speed.

The dial may allow switching between a plurality of discrete,predetermined belt speeds. Alternatively, the dial may permit selectionof belt speed in a continuously variable manner between predeterminedupper and lower limits.

In some embodiments, the destemming device further includes a slideand/or receptacle outside the housing and beneath the at least onecutting aperture.

The destemming device may further include a jam removal system forincreasing the nip (i.e., the distance between the gripper belts) tofacilitate removing a jam.

In some embodiments, the jam removal system includes an actuator, suchas a button, operatively connected to at least one of the first beltassembly and the second belt assembly. Activating the button causes anincrease in the distance between the gripper belts.

The actuator may be a foot pedal.

In some embodiments, the jam removal system further includes a firstlever extending between the foot pedal and a base on the destemmingdevice; and a second lever extending between the first lever and thesecond belt assembly.

Optionally, the first belt assembly comprises a first rail and a secondrail; and the first plurality of rollers extend between the first railand the second rail.

In some embodiments, at least one support bar extends between the firstrail and the second rail.

Optionally, the second belt assembly comprises a third rail and a fourthrail; and the second plurality of rollers extend between the third railand the fourth rail.

In some embodiments, least one support bar extends between the thirdrail and the fourth rail.

The destemming device may further include a base such as a rectangularbase.

In some embodiments, a plurality of support legs extends between thehousing and the base.

The destemming device may further include a plurality of wheelsconnected to the base.

Disclosed in other embodiments are destemming methods which utilize thedestemming device as described herein. The destemming methods generallyinclude inserting a stem into a cutting aperture of the at least onecutting aperture of the destemming device.

These and other non-limiting characteristics of the disclosure are moreparticularly disclosed below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following is a brief description of the drawings, which arepresented for the purposes of illustrating the exemplary embodimentsdisclosed herein and not for the purposes of limiting the same.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a destemming device in accordancewith some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the destemming device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the destemming device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the destemming device of FIG. 1with the covers removed and exposing the interior.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the destemming device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a zoomed-in view illustrating the belt system of thedestemming device.

FIG. 7 is an upper perspective view of the belt system of the destemmingdevice of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a first side perspective view of a first belt assembly inaccordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a second side perspective view of the belt assembly of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a first side perspective view of a second belt assembly inaccordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a second side perspective view of the belt assembly of FIG.10.

FIG. 12 is a side view of a rail used in a belt assembly in accordancewith some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a side view of a chain and sprocket drive, illustrating howthe two belt assemblies can be mechanically connected to rotatetogether.

FIG. 14 illustrates one means for connecting the front end of the upperbelt assembly and the housing.

FIG. 15 illustrates one means for connecting the front end of the lowerbelt assembly and the housing.

FIG. 16 illustrates one example of a connection between the rear end ofthe lower belt assembly and a spring system associated with the housing.

FIG. 17 is an image of one side of a carriage for receiving a lower beltassembly in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure,which can be used for removing jammed plant matter.

FIG. 18 is an image of a lower portion of the system for removing jammedplant matter.

FIG. 19 is an image of a lower belt assembly cartridge locked in thecarriage.

FIG. 20 is a rear image of a knob holding the lower belt assemblycartridge of FIG. 19 in place.

FIG. 21 is a rear perspective view showing an upper belt assemblycartridge held in place within the device/housing.

FIG. 22 is a perspective image of the upper belt assembly cartridge ofFIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a perspective image of the lower belt assembly cartridge ofFIG. 19.

FIG. 24 is a front perspective view of a mobile version of thedestemming device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A more complete understanding of the compositions and methods disclosedherein can be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings. Thesefigures are merely schematic representations based on convenience andthe ease of demonstrating the present disclosure, and are, therefore,not intended to define or limit the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

Although specific terms are used in the following description for thesake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to theparticular structure of the embodiments selected for illustration in thedrawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of thedisclosure. In the drawings and the following description below, it isto be understood that like numeric designations refer to components oflike function.

The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unlessthe context clearly dictates otherwise.

As used in the specification and in the claims, the term “comprising”may include the embodiments “consisting of” and “consisting essentiallyof.” The terms “comprise(s),” “include(s),” “having,” “has,” “can,”“contain(s),” and variants thereof, as used herein, are intended to beopen-ended transitional phrases, terms, or words that require thepresence of the named ingredients/steps and permit the presence of otheringredients/steps. However, such description should be construed as alsodescribing compositions or processes as “consisting of” and “consistingessentially of” the enumerated ingredients/steps, which allows thepresence of only the named ingredients/steps, along with any impuritiesthat might result therefrom, and excludes other ingredients/steps.

Numerical values in the specification and claims should be understood toinclude numerical values which are the same when reduced to the samenumber of significant figures and numerical values which differ from thestated value by less than the experimental error of conventionalmeasurement technique of the type described in the present applicationto determine the value.

All ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the recited endpoint andindependently combinable (for example, the range of “from 2 to 10” isinclusive of the endpoints, 2 and 10, and all the intermediate values).

As used herein, approximating language such as “about” may be applied tomodify any quantitative representation that may vary without resultingin a change in the basic function to which it is related. The modifier“about” should also be considered as disclosing the range defined by theabsolute values of the two endpoints. For example, the expression “fromabout 2 to about 4” also discloses the range “from 2 to 4.” The term“about” may refer to plus or minus 10% of the indicated number.

The present disclosure relates to destemming devices which utilize abelt system instead of two large, conventional rollers. The belt systemincludes a first (e.g., upper) belt assembly and a second (e.g., lower)belt assembly. The belt system could also be rotated 90° so that the nipbetween the belts extends vertically. In vertical nip embodiments, thestem end of the plant matter may be fed through the front or the top ofthe device. In top-feed systems, destemmed plant matter may be collectedfrom the top of the device manually or via an at least partiallyautomated process. For example, a brush or a wiper may be included withthe device. A receptacle for collecting stems may be provided beneaththe belt system, either within or external to the housing.

Nips oriented at angles between horizontal and vertical (e.g., about15°, about 20°, about 25°, about 30°, about 35°, about 40°, about 45°,about 50°, about 55°, about 60°, about 65°, about 70°, and about 75°,with respect to horizontal) are also contemplated. Ranges of “up to” theaforementioned angles and all ranges defined by any two of theaforementioned angles are also contemplated. Non-limiting examplesinclude about 15° to about 75°, about 20° to about 70°, about 25° toabout 65°, about 30° to about 60°, about 35° to about 55°, and about 40°to about 50°.

Each belt assembly includes a plurality of rollers extending between andperpendicular to opposing rails, and a belt around the rollers. In someembodiments, each belt assembly includes a feed side roller, a backsideroller, and optionally one or more intermediate rollers. Theintermediate rollers may be omitted in some embodiments. In someembodiments, a rigid, low friction block is used instead of intermediaterollers. The block places a force on the inside of the belt tocounteract the force of the plant stem. The block may be made of a slickplastic.

The first and second belt assemblies define a nip extending therebetweenfor gripping and pulling stems. As used herein, the term “nip”encompasses contact between the belt assembles and/or a small gaptherebetween. The existence of a small gap may reduce friction and beltwear, thereby increasing the usable lifetime of the belt. In someembodiments, the belt system is spring loaded and self-adjusts to thesize of the stem provided to the nip. The first belt assembly, thesecond belt assembly, or both belt assemblies may be spring loaded. Thespring or springs may be biased for compression or expansion. Inparticular embodiments, the spring loading is oriented in a top tobottom (i.e. vertical) orientation. In some embodiments, the spring orsprings are vertically oriented and connected to a lower or second beltassembly. In an expanded condition, the spring or springs push the loweror second belt assembly upwards to define a narrower nip (i.e. smallernip distance). In a compressed condition, the lower, second beltassembly may be pulled down to define a larger nip distance andfacilitate removal of jammed plant matter. The nip is aligned with oneor more cutting apertures. In some embodiments, the cutting aperturesare sharpened to facilitate cutting. In other embodiments, the cuttingapertures are blunt to facilitate a more shredding separation process.The cutting apertures may be unitary with the housing or may be providedin a separate component. For example, a panel comprising a plurality ofdifferent sized cutting apertures may be detachably associated with thehousing. Screws and other types of fasteners may be used to connect thecutting aperture panel to the housing. The cutting aperture(s) aregenerally aligned with the nip.

The use of belts instead of conventional larger rollers may increase thecontact area, reduce slipping, and reduce the required stem engagementlength, thereby reducing preparation work and the number of operatorsrequired to operate the destemming device.

The first and second belt assemblies may include the same number ofrollers or different numbers of rollers. The gripping belts used in theassemblies may be the same or different. The rollers closest to thecutting apertures may be located at the same or substantially the samedistance from the apertures. In other embodiments, the feed-facingroller of one of the belt assemblies may be located slightly closer tothe feed than the feed-facing roller of the other of the beltassemblies. In particular embodiments, both belts are located very closeto the cutting dies/cutting apertures and are aligned. The first beltassembly may be rigidly mounted (in a non-floating relationship) to thehousing and the second belt assembly may be floating. The term“floating” means that the second belt assembly is not in a fixedlocation relative to the housing. For example, the connection betweenthe second belt assembly and the housing may include a spring. Thespring permits the distance between the first belt assembly and thesecond belt assembly to change, thereby increasing or decreasing thedistance between the belts at the nip.

The belts may be timing belts. Timing belts are endless belts with teethfor engaging two or more sprockets associated with different components.In other embodiments, the inner surface of the belt is smooth. Timingbelts may be capable of handling more torque without having to put somuch pressure on the bearings. This may reduce the horsepowerrequirement, load on the bearings, and tracking issues.

The outer surface of the belt may be smooth or textured (e.g., toincrease surface friction). Providing a textured surface may enhance thegripping ability of the belt, facilitate removal of moisture, and/orreduce buildup of plant material on the belt.

The outer surface of the rollers may be complementary in shape to theinner surface of the belt. For example, the inner surface of the beltand the outer surface of the rollers may both be smooth. In otherembodiments, the inner surface of the belt includes a plurality of teethwhich are complementary to a plurality of grooves in the inner surfacesof the rollers. In some embodiments, only the roller associated with thedrive pulley includes grooves for receiving teeth of the belt.

In some embodiments, the rollers independently have lengths in the rangeof about 4″ to about 12 inches, including from about 6 inches to about10 inches, from about 6.5 inches to about 8 inches, and about 7.15inches.

In some embodiments, the rollers independently have diameters in therange of about 0.5 inches to about 2.5 inches, including from about 1inches to about 1.5 inches, and about 1.25 inches.

In some embodiments, the belt assembly (upper and/or lower) includesfour rollers and the distances between adjacent rollers are: about 1inches to about 2.5 inches, including about 1.5 inches and about 2inches, and about 1.75 inches between the first and second rollers;about 1 inches to about 2 inches, including from about 1.25 inches toabout 1.75 inches, and about 1.5 inches between the second and thirdrollers; and about 2 inches to about 3.5 inches, including from about2.5 inches to about 3 inches, and about 2.75 inches between the thirdand fourth rollers. In some embodiments, the distances between rollersare the minimum distances needed to fit components such as bearings,cross members, etc. The sizes/dimensions may also be selected tofacilitate changing the belt without complete disassembly of the rollersystem.

Suitable roller materials possess corrosion resistance. Non-limitingexamples of suitable roller materials include anodized aluminum, rubber,stainless steel, and plastic.

One or more support bars may also extend between the rails betweenadjacent rollers. The support bar(s) may have lengths in the range ofabout 6 inches to about 12 inches, including from about 8 inches toabout 10 inches, and about 9 inches. The support bar(s) may have heightsin the range of about 0.25 inches to about 2 inches, including about 0.5inches to about 1 inches, and about 0.75 inches. The support bar(s) mayhave thicknesses in the range of about 0.1 inches to about 0.5 inches,including about 0.25 inches. Using support bars may enhance theremovability of the belt assemblies/cartridges. When rollers are usedthroughout the length of the belt assemblies, cleaning and belt removalmay be more difficult and time-consuming.

Locating the support bar(s) further from the middle of the rails wouldmake the assembly more rigid but would make removal of the belt moredifficult (i.e., require disassembly of the frame). When the supportbar(s) are located away from the ends of the rails, the belt can slipover the frame without removing the back rollers or any of the bearings.The front roller is still removed to change the belt but pulls outeasily when tension is removed from the belt. Put another way, the belttension can be what holds the front roller in place.

The belts may be made of rubber, such as natural rubber or a syntheticrubber. Non-limiting examples of synthetic rubbers include isoprenerubber, butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, (optionally halogenated)butyl rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, (optionally hydrogenated)nitrile rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene dienerubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, polyacrylic rubber, fluorosiliconerubber, fluoroelastomers, perfluoroelastomers, polyether block amides,chlorosulfonated polyethylene, and ethylene-vinyl acetate rubber.

The rubber is optionally reinforced with one of more fillers.Non-limiting examples of fillers include fibers such as aramid fibers,carbon fibers, and glass fibers.

In some embodiments, a removable support member can be added to the backbearing mount to prevent frame flexing. The removable support member maybe cylindrical and may have a diameter in the range of about 0.25 inchesto about 0.75 inches, including about 0.5 inches.

The belt system may be powered by a motor or manually (e.g., with a handcrank). Power may be provided to the motor directly or via a controlunit. In some embodiments, the control unit includes an on/off switch orbutton, an emergency stop switch or button, and a dial or other variableinput for controlling the frequency of the AC power that is sent to themotor. This in turn controls the speed. If a brush DC motor was used,the voltage could be varied to control the speed. This method isbecoming obsolete as AC frequency drives as described above are becomingmore available. Technically the horsepower is reduced, but that is aside effect of the reduced speed, not the cause of it. In non-limitingembodiments, the device may convert 110 volt wall power into 230 volt3-phase power to properly run a 3-phase motor at a very controllablespeed. The control unit may be located on the front of the destemmingdevice. It is also possible that the control unit user interface is atouchscreen. Belt speed adjustments may be helpful for slowing themachine down for bucking dry plants.

The motor may be operatively connected to the belt system via a beltdrive. The belt drive may include a drive pulley associated with themotor, a driven pulley associated with at least one of the beltassemblies, and a belt (e.g., a timing belt) extending around the driveand driven pulleys. In some embodiments, the driven pulley is connectedto a single roller of one of the upper and lower belt assemblies.

It is expressly contemplated that the power may be provided from arenewable energy source. In some embodiments, the renewable energysource is solar power. In other embodiments, the renewable energy sourceis wind power.

The destemming device may further include a chain drive. The chain drivemay include a first sprocket associated with a roller of the first beltassembly, a second sprocket associated with a roller of the second beltassembly, and a chain extending around the first and second sprockets.As an alternative to a chain drive, a 2-sided timing belt may be used.The 2-sided timing belt may reduce noise and the need for lubrication. Achain may be suitable for handling a higher torque for a given size ofthe drive.

In some embodiments, the driven pulley and the first sprocket areassociated with the same roller. In other embodiments, the driven pulleyand the second sprocket are associated with the same roller. In furtherembodiments, the driven pulley is associated with a roller other thanthe rollers associated with the first and second sprockets.

The belt drive and the chain drive may be located on opposite sides ofthe destemming device. In other embodiments, the belt drive and thechain drive are located on the same side of the destemming device.

It is also possible to replace the belt drive with a chain drive and/orto replace the chain drive with a belt drive. For example, both drivesmay be chain drives, both drives may be belt drives, or the driveassociated with the motor may be a chain drive and the opposite drivemay be a belt drive.

It is also possible that only one drive is included. It is also possiblethat other multiple drives may be included

A slide or other receptacle may be located beneath the cuttingapertures, for receiving the non-stem plant matter. The slide or otherreceptacle may be secured to the housing via one or more screws or otherfasteners.

The housing may be associated with a base either directly or indirectly.In the embodiments depicted in the drawings, the housing is associatedwith the base through four square cross-section legs. However, it isalso contemplated that different numbers (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, etc.) orcross-section shapes (e.g., circular, triangular, rectangular, otherpolygonal, irregular, etc.) of legs may be used.

It is also possible to omit the legs and mount the machine (e.g., to a3-point hitch or plate mount like a skid steer). The device could runoff the power take-off on a tractor or a “Power Beyond Hydraulic System”on a skid steer or other hydraulically powered machine. The device mayinclude a standalone or incorporated hydraulic power unit.

The housing and legs may be constructed as a unitary structure or bedistinct components. In some embodiments, the housing is detachablyassociated with the legs via one or more screws or other fasteners. Insome embodiments, the housing is configured to be dropped onto pins andheld in place relative to the legs with toggle latches or other fastenermeans.

The legs and base may also form a unitary structure or be distinctcomponents.

The use of distinct components may facilitate the transportation,loading, unloading, etc. of the destemming device. For example, thesmaller parts may be easier/cheaper to ship and/or load into the trunkof a car.

The housing, legs, and base may be made of the same or differentmaterials. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials includepowdercoated steel, aluminum, and stainless steel. Aluminum andmagnesium castings are also contemplated. Injection molded plasticframes are also contemplated.

Although the base depicted in the drawings is rectangular, other shapesare also contemplated. In some embodiments, the base is circular,triangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, etc.

A plurality (e.g., 4) of optionally lockable wheels may be associatedwith the bottom of the base to facilitate moving the destemming device.

The device can also be easily transported over rough terrain with a2-wheel dolly or other device.

The wheels may be standard or large all terrain casters and may bebolted on. In some embodiments, the device includes a recess forretaining a power generator. In non-limiting embodiments, the base iscontinuous and may act as a shelf for receiving the generator.

The destemming devices of the present disclosure advantageously reducethe length of stem that must be inserted into the machine. For example,the amount of stem material that must be inserted into one of thecutting apertures and grasped by the belt system may be as small asabout 1 inches, about 1.5 inches, about 2 inches, about 2.5 inches, orabout 3 inches. In contrast, known destemming devices which utilize apair of large rollers may require 5 inches of stem or more to beinserted before the plant material is grasped by the rollers. The use ofa belt drive system with small rollers instead of known beltless deviceswith large round rollers may reduce the manual labor required prior tousing the destemming device.

The belt system may be continuously adjustable, meaning it will grab anysize stem put in any size cutting aperture. In fact, the belt system maybe configured such that it continuously adjusts to the size of the stemas it changes during the feed process by adjusting the gap/distancebetween the upper and lower belt assemblies which define the nip. Thiseffect can be achieved by at least one spring-loaded connection betweenthe housing and at least one of the belt assemblies. For example, thelower belt assembly may be connected to the housing via a springconnection, thereby allowing the belt system to adjust to the size ofthe stem. Non-limiting examples of spring connectors include metalsprings, air springs, rubber tension devices, and elastomeric mounts.

The longer belt also facilitates a longer contact zone instead of thesmaller point contacts for the large conventional rollers. In someembodiments, the belt system is configured to grip the plant over alength of at least 2 inches, at least 3 inches, at least 4 inches, or atleast 5 inches. The larger gripping length facilitates an increase inpulling power.

The destemming devices of the present disclosure may also enable simpledejamming. Destemming devices may jam when a stem does not make it allthe way through a die. The destemming devices of the present disclosuremay include a dejamming system which increases the gap between the upperand lower belt assemblies to release the belt system's grip on the stemand allow removal of the jammed plant matter, sometimes withoutrequiring stopping the motor. Other machines require the operator tostop the machine and reverse pull the stem out of the machine.

The dejamming system may include a foot pedal. The foot pedal may belocated on the same side of the destemming device as the cuttingapertures. The foot pedal may be centrally located or may be offset tothe left side or right side for ease of accessibility to the right footor left foot, respectively, of the operator. In some embodiments, thefoot pedal may be attached to a first lever. The first lever may extendbeneath a base of the destemming device with a generally horizontalorientation. A second lever may also be included. The second lever maybe attached to the first lever at a point along the length of the firstlever and beneath the housing. The second lever may be perpendicular orsubstantially perpendicular to the first lever with a generally verticalorientation. The end of the second lever opposite the connection to thefirst lever may be connected to the belt system. For example, the secondlever may be connected to the lower belt assembly such that pressing thefoot pedal leads to the second lever pulling the lower belt assemblyaway from the upper belt assembly, thereby increasing the nip andreleasing the jammed plant matter. The connection may be via ahorizontally oriented bar connected to the second lever.

The destemming devices of the present disclosure may be cleaned and/orserviced for maintenance relatively quickly. For example, the beltsystem may be disassembled for cleaning and/or replacement of either orboth of the belt assemblies in a couple minutes. Other machines mayrequire the machine to be cleaned in its assembled state, therebyrendering the machine unusable during the maintenance period. Thedestemming devices of the present disclosure may utilize easilyreplaceable upper and lower belt assembly cartridges. The metalcomponent(s) of the belt assemblies may be made of stainless steel orother corrosion-resistant material (e.g., another corrosion-resistantalloy or metal, plastic, etc.).

In some embodiments, the upper belt assembly includes one or morecatches including open-ended openings through which the upper beltassembly can be secured to the housing (e.g., via screws). In a fixedstate (i.e., when the screws or other fasteners are tightened), theupper belt assembly is securely fixed to the housing. Upon loosening thescrews or other fasteners, the upper belt assembly can be easily removedby pulling the upper belt assembly through the rear of the device sincethe open ends of the opening will allow the screws or other fasteners topass therethrough.

The lower belt assembly is optionally secured to the housing via one ormore easily removable hairpins.

It is also possible that the upper belt assembly is secured to thehousing via one or more easily removable hairpins and/or the lower beltassembly is secured to the housing via a catch.

Prior to removing the upper and lower belt assemblies/cartridges, thechain of the chain drive and the belt of the belt drive should beremoved.

The destemming devices of the present disclosure may include one or moreremovable covers for the housing. In some embodiments, the one or moreremovable covers include a top cover and two side covers. The two sidecovers may be detachably associated with the housing via magnets (e.g.,four magnets for each side cover—one associated with each corner of theside cover). The magnets may be located on the side cover, on thehousing, or on both the side cover and the housing. In some embodiments,the rear of the housing is uncovered to allow the belt system to ejectstems from the back of the device.

Another potential benefit of using the belt system is that less plantresidue may adhere to the belt compared to a large roller/wheel system.Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that thetransition from the straight contact area in the nip to a round shape atthe rear of the belt causes waste plant material (not the desiredproduct) to fall off the belt. This reduces the necessary clean up andalso helps maintain the gripping ability of the device because the stemfed to the device is contacted by the belt itself, not plant residue.

FIGS. 1-3 are drawings of the exterior of a destemming device 100 inaccordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. Referring toall three figures together, the device 100 includes a housing 102secured to a base 110 via legs 107. The housing 102 includes cuttingapertures 104 through which plant matter to be processed can be fed. Thehousing 102 further includes a top cover 198 and one or more side covers199. One or more of these covers may be detachably associated with thehousing 102 to permit observation and/or maintenance of the internals.The device 100 may be equipped with wheels 115 attached to the base 110to facilitate movement. Below the cutting apertures 104, a slide 180 maybe attached to catch falling plant matter and transfer it to acontainer. A control unit 170 may be mounted on the device, optionallyon the housing. The device 100 further includes a jam removal systemincluding a foot pedal 190, a first lever 192, and a second lever 194.When the foot pedal 190 is pressed, the first lever 192 pulls down thesecond lever 194 which is connected to at least one element within thehousing and makes it easier to pull jammed plant matter out of thedevice. The side of the housing on which the cutting apertures arelocated can be considered the front side of the housing. As seen in FIG.3, in some embodiments, the rear side of the housing is exposed, whichpermits waste material to exit the device.

FIGS. 4-7 provide some interior views of the device. Referring to FIG. 4and FIG. 5 together, the housing contains a belt system that includes afirst (or upper) belt assembly 120 and a second (or lower) belt assembly130. The first belt assembly 120 includes a first gripper belt 122, andthe second belt assembly 130 includes a second gripper belt 132.Together, the first belt 122 and the second belt 132 define a nip 140 ata forward location within the housing adjacent to the cutting apertures.Also visible in FIG. 4 is a driven pulley 127 which is operativelyconnected to a drive pulley 155 by a belt 158. The drive pulley 155 isconnected to motor 159, which may be mounted beneath the housing orcontained within the housing. Also visible is a support structureincluding a first support wall 193 on a first side, a second supportwall 195 on a second side spaced apart from the first side, and asupport bar 196 extending therebetween. As will be discussed furtherherein, the support structure supports the various components of thedevice.

In some embodiments, a drive pulley with a tapered shaft that relies onfriction for grip can be used. Alternatively, a toothed timing belt witha positive drive may reduce bearing load and overall friction whileimproving performance. In some embodiments, only the drive pulley istoothed.

FIG. 6 is a rear view, and FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view. The beltsystem 118 comprises the first belt assembly 120 and the second beltassembly 130. The first belt assembly 120 is generally located above thesecond belt assembly 130. The two gripper belts 122, 132 are visible.Also visible are first rollers 121 which are part of the first beltassembly, and second rollers 131 which are part of the second beltassembly. The belt system 118 is located between the two support walls193, 195.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 illustrate an embodiment of a first belt assembly 120separated from the housing, and provide views from two different sides.The first belt assembly 120 includes first rollers 121 (including frontroller 121 a and rear roller 121 b), a first gripper belt 122, a firstsprocket 123, a first rail 124, a second rail 125, one or more firstsupport bars 126, and possibly a driven pulley 127. The first rail 124and the second rail 125 define opposite spaced-apart sides of the firstbelt assembly. The first support bars 126 extend between the first rail124 and the second rail 125, creating a frame on which the rollers canrotate. The first rollers 121 and the first gripper belt 122 are locatedbetween the first rail 124 and the second rail 125, with the firstgripper belt 122 traveling around the first rollers 121. A plurality offirst rollers may be present. Each first roller 121 rotates around ashaft 128, which can extend beyond the rails, and may be complementaryto one or more other elements within the housing which receive the oneor more shaft to support the first belt assembly.

Each rail 124, 125 further includes catches 129 for securing the firstbelt assembly 120 to the housing 102. The catches 129 and the rails 124,125 may be unitary or separate elements. The first sprocket 123 isconnected to a shaft that extends outwards beyond one of the rails 124,125. When present, the driven pulley 127 extends outwards beyond theother rail 125, 124 on the opposite side from the first sprocket. Thefirst sprocket 123 and the driven pulley 127 are usually attached to thesame shaft. Also visible here are mount plates 200 around the shaft ofrear roller 121 b on both sides. Each mount plate 200 is fixed in placeon the rail 124, 125 using two bearing mount bolts 201.

FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 illustrate an embodiment of a second belt assemblyseparated from the housing, and provide views from two different sides.

The second belt assembly 130 includes second rollers 131 (includingfront roller 131 a and rear roller 131 b), a second gripper belt 132, asecond sprocket 133, a first rail 134, a second rail 135, and one ormore second support bars 136. The first rail 134 and the second rail 135define opposite spaced-apart sides of the second belt assembly. Thesecond support bars 136 extend between the first rail 134 and the secondrail 135, creating a frame on which the rollers can rotate. The secondrollers 131 and the second gripper belt 132 are located between thefirst rail 134 and the second rail 135, with the second gripper belt 132traveling around the second rollers 131. A plurality of second rollersmay be present. Each second roller 131 rotates around a shaft 138, whichcan extend beyond the rails, and may be complementary to one or moreother elements within the housing which receive the one or more shaftsto support the second belt assembly.

The rails of the second belt assembly may include apertures 139 or otherelements complementary to one or more feature within the housing forsecuring the second belt assembly 130 within the housing, as will bedescribed further herein. The second sprocket 133 is connected to ashaft that extends outwards beyond one of the rails 134, 135. Alsovisible here are mount plates 202 around the shaft of rear roller 131 bon both sides. Each mount plate 202 is fixed in place on the rail 134,135 using two bearing mount bolts 201.

It is noted that when comparing the mount plates 200, 202 in FIGS. 8-11,the mount plates 200 are illustrated in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 as being onthe exterior side of the rails 124, 125, while the mount plates 202 areillustrated in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 as being on the interior side of therails 134, 135. More generally, the mount plates can be on either sideof the rail for either belt assembly.

FIG. 12 is a side view of a rail (e.g., 124, 125, 134, 135) inaccordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The railincludes an elongated cutout 203 along the axis between the front end204 and the rear end 206 of the rail. The elongated cutout includes acentral portion 207 and two side portions 208. The height of the twoside portions is less than that of the central portion. The purpose ofthis elongated cutout is to permit easier belt replacement. Referring toFIG. 11, the service lifetime of the second gripper belt 132 is likelyto be much shorter than the other components of the second belt assembly130. The tension of the second gripper belt 132 is maintained by thedistance between front roller 131 a and rear roller 131 b. Rear roller131 b is held in place by bolts 201, which engage the two side portions208 of the elongated cutout.

Referring back to FIG. 12, when the four bearing mount bolts areremoved, the shaft associated with rear roller 131 b can slide withinthe central portion 207, releasing belt tension and permitting enoughclearance for the gripper belt 132 to be slipped off over the frame. Thefront roller 131 a is held in place in a semicircular groove 209 locatedat the front end of the rail 124, and can just fall out when the belttension is released. Without the elongated cutout 203, severalcomponents (e.g. the driven pulley, sprocket, shaft, etc.) would have tobe removed to facilitate belt removal. Alternatively, it is alsocontemplated that a two-piece frame that could come apart to createclearance for the gripper belts 122, 132 may be used. However, thecutout portion as shown in FIG. 12 allows for a one-piece frame to beused.

Now, considering the first belt assembly 120 and the second beltassembly 130 together, the driven pulley 127 is connected to one of thebelt assemblies 120, 130. As seen in FIG. 4, the driven pulley isrotated by the motor 159. Then, as seen in FIG. 13, the first sprocket123 and the second sprocket 133 are connected together with a chain 160.This permits both belt assemblies to be driven by the motor, regardlessof which belt assembly contains the driven pulley 127. If desired, thechain 160 may be connected to one or more additional idle sprockets 162,which can increase the contact of the chain with the first sprocket 123and the second sprocket 133 (particularly the sprocket on the same shaftas the driven pulley 127), thereby reducing skipping under high load.Although a chain is used in some of the depicted embodiments, it is alsopossible to use a timing belt (e.g., a double-sided timing belt)instead. It is noted that the driven pulley is on the opposite side ofthe housing from the two sprockets 123, 133.

FIG. 14 illustrates one example of a structure by which the front end ofthe first or upper belt assembly 120 is joined or connected to thehousing. In particular, the shaft 128 slides into a groove within block103 (e.g., an aluminum block) located on support wall 195.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of a similar structure for joining orconnecting the front end of the second or lower belt assembly 130 to thehousing. In particular, a shaft 138 of the second belt assembly 130drops into a notch of a guide block 105 (e.g., a plastic guide block)located on support wall 195.

Referring now to both FIG. 16 and to FIG. 10, the back side of thesecond belt assembly 130 may be held in place by a quick release ballpin 151 which passes through aperture 139 in rail 134, 135 and through aU-shaped support 210 which can travel vertically. The U-shaped supportmay be used as part of a jam removal system to change the nip distancebetween the two belt assemblies.

Referring now to both FIG. 16 and to FIG. 9, a short bar 211 alsoextends from support wall 193 into the interior of the housing. Afastening element 142 (e.g. a knob) screws into the short bar 211. Thecatch 129 of the first belt assembly 120 engages this bar/knob assemblyto support the rear end of the first belt assembly.

FIGS. 17-20 illustrate another embodiment for including a jam removalsystem. Referring first to FIG. 17, the system includes a carriage thatincludes two rails. A first rail 220 is shown mounted onto support wall195. Cutting apertures 104 are also labeled for reference. A second railis mounted on the opposite support wall as well (not visible). Twoledges extend from support wall 195 to support springs 197 which areoriented vertically and biased for extension (i.e. longer when no loadapplied). The rail 220 is supported by the springs 197, and has twodownward-facing stems (not visible), one at each end to engage thesprings. A front end of the rail includes an L-shaped notch 221 which isentered from an upper side of the rail. A horizontal cutout 222 in theupper side of the rail is also present, which is aligned with a verticalcutout 213 in the support wall 195. A central section of the railincludes a vertical cutout 223, which is used to guide the verticaltravel of the rail and can also be used to keep the rail against thesupport wall. A front lower support bar 224 and a rear upper support bar225 extend across to the second rail, forming the carriage. A cable 112extends downwards from the rail 220. The same structure is repeated onthe opposite support wall.

Referring now to FIG. 18, the lower portion of the system for removingjams shows the other end of the two cables 112 attached to a t-shapedarm/lever 192 associated with the foot pedal 190. In use, when the footpedal is depressed, the two cables 112 pull the rails 220 and thecarriage downwards, such that the entire lower belt assembly is pulleddown more or less uniformly from front to back. This increases the nipdistance, permitting easier release of any jammed plant material. Insome embodiments, the carriage can move downwards a distance of up toabout 2 inches, including up to about 1 inch when the foot pedal isdepressed.

FIG. 19 shows one side of the second belt assembly 130 locked into therail 220. As more easily seen here, the shaft holding the secondsprocket 133 rests in the horizontal cutout 222 and extends through thevertical cutout 213 in the support wall. The front shaft of the secondbelt assembly sits in the notch 221. The rail 134 of the second beltassembly also engages the rear upper support bar 225.

As seen in FIG. 20, the rail 134 of the second belt assembly alsoengages the rear upper support bar 225. A knob 137 holds the second beltassembly 130 in place around the rear upper support bar 225 and relativeto the rail 220.

As seen in FIG. 21, the first belt assembly/cartridge 120 is held inplace in a fixed position by fastening elements 142 to short bars 211.The first sprocket 123 also extends through the vertical cutout 222 insupport wall 195. The driven pulley 127 is also present on the oppositeside, extending through a similar vertical cutout in support wall 193

In use, one of the belt assemblies is in a fixed position relative tothe housing and the other belt assembly is floating to allow thedistance between the belts at the nip to be changed to enable jamremoval. For example, the upper belt assembly may be fixed and the lowerbelt assembly may be floating and connected to the jam removal system.

FIG. 22 illustrates another embodiment of a first or upper belt assembly120, which is also used in FIG. 21. This embodiment is very similar tothe embodiment described in FIG. 8, and includes first rollers 121, afirst gripper belt 122, a first sprocket 123, a first rail 124, a secondrail 125, at least one first support bar 126, and possibly a drivenpulley 127. The largest difference is in the first rail 124 and thesecond rail 125. In FIG. 8, the catch 129 extended upwards from the railso that the rear end would hang from a support. In this embodiment, thecatch 129 is in the form of an L-shaped notch which is entered from alower side of the rail. As seen in FIG. 21, this catch engages fasteningelement 142 and short bar 211.

FIG. 23 illustrates another embodiment of a second or lower beltassembly 130 in accordance with some embodiments of the presentdisclosure. This embodiment is very similar to the embodiment describedin FIG. 10, and second rollers 131, a second gripper belt 132, a secondsprocket 133, a first rail 134, a second rail 135, and one or moresecond support bars 136.

The largest difference is in the first rail 134 and the second rail 135.In FIG. 10, the aperture 139 extended sideways through the rail so thata hairpin would pass through the aperture. In this embodiment, theaperture 139 is in the form of a vertical notch which is entered from alower side of the rail. As seen in FIG. 19, this aperture engages therear upper support bar 225.

It should be understood that different aspects of the various differentembodiments can be combined together, and such combinations areexpressly contemplated.

As another alternative, an outdoor off-road base is also contemplatedfor the destemming device. The base can receive the housing as describedabove and also a generator and a catch bin. The base includes a handleor other connector that can be pulled by hand on off-road tires.Alternatively, the base can be pulled by an all-terrain vehicle (e.g., aquad). FIG. 24 illustrates an embodiment of a destemming device 100suitable for outdoor, off-road use in the form of a vehicle. The device100 includes a base 110, wheels 181 attached to the base, a generatorwhich acts as motor 159, and a housing 102 mounted on the base 110.Optionally, a removable receptacle 161 for catching plant matter fromslide 180 can be included. The vehicle may be powered, or in other wordsthe motor 159 can also provide power to the wheels 181. In otherembodiments, separate motors could be used to power the wheels and thecomponents in the housing. In some embodiments, the vehicle isunpowered, and may be equipped with a handle 191 for pushing/pulling.

In some embodiments, the entire belt assemblies are removable forcleaning. In other embodiments, only the belts of the belt assembliesare removed for cleaning. When only the belts are removed for cleaning,lower cost materials may be used for the other components of the beltassemblies since they are not submerged in cleaning solution.

The side cover panels may interlock with switches when fully installed.The top cover may hold the side covers in place if they do not havetheir own latching mechanism. The top side of the side cover panels maybe held to the frame/housing via teardrop holes that fit over fasteners(e.g., screws). In some embodiments, the cover panels are made ofaluminum or plastic. The cover panels may have a thickness of from about1/32 inches to about ¼ inches, including about ⅛ inches. The top coverpanel may be curved and may be secured to the frame/housing via hooks onthe backside and latches on the front side. A switch associated with thefront latch may render the machine inoperable when the top cover panelis removed.

Devices which include only one belt assembly and an alternativestructure is used instead of a second belt assembly are alsocontemplated. Examples of alternative structures include one roller or aplurality of rollers without a belt, or the like. In such structures, anip is created between the one belt assembly and the roller(s).

Methods for destemming plant matter (e.g., hemp, Cannabis) are alsodisclosed. The methods include feeding plant matter stem-first through acutting aperture to a belt system as described herein. The belt systemgrips and pulls the stem through the interior of the device. The cuttingaperture cuts the desired plant matter (e.g., buds) away from the stem.The desired plant matter may drop into a slide or receptacle (located onthe exterior of the device) beneath the cutting aperture and berecovered. The stem may be ejected by the belt system through the backof the device and discarded. The stems at the backside and/or thedestemmed plant matter at the front side may be filtered for size (e.g.,using a plurality of layers of decreasing size hardware cloth grids).The size filters may be placed above or in a bin.

The present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplaryembodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others uponreading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It isintended that the present disclosure be construed as including all suchmodifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope ofthe appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

1. A destemming device comprising: a housing comprising at least onecutting aperture; a motor; and a belt system configured to fit withinthe housing, the belt system comprising: a first belt assemblycomprising: a first plurality of rollers; and a first gripper beltextending around the first plurality of rollers; and a second beltassembly comprising: a second plurality of rollers; and a second gripperbelt extending around the second plurality of rollers; wherein the firstgripper belt and the second gripper belt define a nip; wherein the atleast one cutting aperture is aligned with the nip; and wherein themotor is operatively connected to the belt system.
 2. The destemmingdevice of claim 1, wherein the first belt assembly is an upper beltassembly and the second belt assembly is a lower belt assembly locatedvertically below the upper belt assembly.
 3. The destemming device ofclaim 1, wherein the motor is operatively connected to the belt systemvia a power transmission belt extending around a drive pulley associatedwith the motor and a driven pulley associated with at least one rollerof the first plurality of rollers or the second plurality of rollers. 4.The destemming device of claim 1, further comprising: a chain driveoperatively connecting a first sprocket associated with at least onefirst roller of the first plurality of rollers and a second sprocketassociated with at least one second roller of the second plurality ofrollers.
 5. The destemming device of claim 1, further comprising: acontrol unit electrically connected to the motor.
 6. The destemmingdevice of claim 5, further comprising: a user interface associated withthe control unit, the user interface comprising: an on/off switch; anemergency stop button; and a dial for controlling belt speed.
 7. Thedestemming device of claim 6, wherein the dial allows switching betweena plurality of discrete belt speeds or permits selection of belt speedin a continuously variable manner between predetermined upper and lowerlimits.
 8. The destemming device of claim 1, further comprising: a slideand/or receptacle outside the housing and beneath the at least onecutting aperture.
 9. The destemming device of claim 1, furthercomprising: a jam removal system for increasing the nip to facilitateremoving a jam.
 10. The destemming device of claim 9, wherein the jamremoval system comprises: a foot pedal operatively connected to at leastone of the first belt assembly and the second belt assembly; whereindepressing the foot pedal causes an increase in the nip.
 11. Thedestemming device of claim 10, wherein the jam removal system comprises:a first lever extending between the foot pedal and a base on thedestemming device; and a second lever extending between the first leverand the second belt assembly.
 12. The destemming device of claim 10,wherein the jam removal system comprises: a carriage vertically mountedon springs within the housing, wherein the second belt assembly ismounted on the carriage, and the carriage is connected to the footpedal.
 13. The destemming device of claim 1, further comprising: a base.14. The destemming device of claim 13, further comprising: a pluralityof support legs extending between the housing and the base.
 15. Thedestemming device of claim 14, further comprising: a plurality of wheelsconnected to the base.
 16. The destemming device of claim 1, wherein thefirst belt assembly comprises a first rail and a second rail, whereinthe first plurality of rollers extends between the first rail and thesecond rail; and at least one support bar extending between the firstrail and the second rail.
 17. The destemming device of claim 16, whereinthe first belt assembly is in a non-floating relationship with thehousing.
 18. The destemming device of claim 1, wherein the second beltassembly comprises a first rail and a second rail, wherein the secondplurality of rollers extend between the first rail and the second rail;and at least one support bar extending between the first rail and thesecond rail.
 19. The destemming device of claim 19, wherein the secondbelt assembly is in a floating relationship with the housing.
 20. Amobile destemming device comprising: a vehicle; a housing mounted to thevehicle and comprising at least one cutting aperture; a motor; and abelt system configured to fit within the housing, the belt systemcomprising: a first belt assembly comprising: a first plurality ofrollers; and a first gripper belt extending around the first pluralityof rollers; and a second belt assembly comprising: a second plurality ofrollers; and a second gripper belt extending around the second pluralityof rollers; wherein the first gripper belt and the second gripper beltdefine a nip; wherein the at least one cutting aperture is aligned withthe nip; and wherein the motor is operatively connected to the beltsystem.